Before dawn of their third day hunting in Wyoming (Who said these Merriam’s were a shoo-in?), Mike and his cameraman and outfitter were all in place in a blind they had built the day before from limbs and leaves. When they left the spot the night before, they heard a roosted bird gobbling between 150 and 200 yards away.

With only one more bird to go in Mike Pentecost’s quest to take 450 turkeys before he turns 50 on May 29, the hunter, along with his cameraman Terry Sullivan and outfitter Brad Greba of Whitetail Creek Outfitters, left Montana and crossed back into Wyoming where Brad’s operation is based.

Using the knowledge of the terrain and where the birds flew down after roosting from his failed hunt the day before, Mike Pentecost returns to the scene of the crime with the intention of starting at the road bed first where the birds had strutted around.

After a fun, long road trip, Mike Pentecost and Terry Sullivan arrive in Hulett, Wyo., and meet up with Brad Greba of Whitetail Creek Outfitters. On this trip, Mike was going for his final two birds with which to wrap up his quest for 450 turkeys harvested before he turns 50 and planned to hunt both Montana and Wyoming. The decision is quickly made to hit Montana first, so they drop their gear and head out to buy a license and give it a try.

Mike Pentecost and crew left Texas feeling a deep sense of gratification after taking three birds in a single day—two in Oklahoma and one in Texas—after several tough days of hunting. In the end, Rush Creek Guide Service and Danny Pierce had come through for Pentecost, who always enjoys hunting Rios with the outfitter.

After celebrating Mike's 446th career wild turkey, Mark Scroggins, Terry Sullivan and Mike all agreed to not slow down.The men drove to a nearby high spot to glass and maybe spot some birds and there were two strutters on the edge of a field less than a mile away. The men used the terrain to hide their approach and moved in close enough to try and get them interested.

Mike Pentecost and his camera crew began the day where they had started unsuccessfully on the day befor. They were confident that this time, they knew exactly which way the birds were going. They were wrong. They beat the hunters again and Mike felt as if he were starting behind the 8-ball. This hunt for Rios in Oklahoma was definitely not proceeding as planned, and Mike was beginning to feel the days tick by as the end of turkey season neared.

With the Alabama season but an afterthought Mike Pentecost headed to Wheeler, Texas, to hunt with outfitter Danny Pierce of Rush Creek Guide Service. Pierce runs hunts in both Oklahoma and Texas with properties not far from the border on either side.

The Gobbler Coffin was an idea Mike had about giving gobblers a nice send off in a pine box like they did in the Old West. The turkey, after all, has been kind enough to come into a call and allow itself to be shot.

The next day after taking his fifth bird of the season and 444th of his lifetime, Mike Pentecost and cameraman Terry Sullivan were back at it in the public woods of Alabama. The morning began at the same spot where they had successfully hunted the day before, but nothing was heard—something a lot of us hunters on pressured areas can relate to.